The present invention relates to an edible food shell and, more particularly, to an edible taco shell.
Conventional taco shells are formed from a circular tortilla, which is bent and then cooked, for example by baking, in order to form a shell that is generally rigid and holds its generally U-shaped configuration so that it can be filled with a taco filling for consumption. Before cooking, the tortilla is placed in a "mold" which bends the tortilla about a central portion to form a pair of opposed and spaced apart side walls. The side walls are interconnected by a generally semi-circular or round base to thereby define a cavity in which the taco filling, such as lettuce, beans, cooked meat or poultry or the like, is placed. Consequently, the taco shell is not stable in the vertical position and must be laid on one of its sides to prevent the taco shell from tipping over. However, when the taco shell is on its side, the taco shell can no longer hold the taco filling, which falls out through the open mouth of the taco shell.
In order to hold taco shells upright, various taco shell holders have been devised. Typically, the taco shell holder has a body with a wide base and a taco shell receiving opening in which the taco shell sits while it is filled with the taco filling and from which it is subsequently removed for consumption. However, the taco shell holders are not edible and, therefore, generate a significant amount of waste. Furthermore, in the fast-food-take-out environment, taco shell holders make it difficult to package the taco shell when the taco shell is filled with taco shell filling.
Proposals have been made to modify the conventional taco shell to include a generally flat based taco shell. Flat based taco shells have heretofore not provided the stability or strength required for taco shell manufactures due to the high stresses concentration factors associated with the sharp corners at the base of the taco shell. Furthermore, due to the variation in the surface topology of taco shells, the flat base shell does not provide coplanar support points and, instead, provides a plurality of support points at different elevations which causes the taco shell to be unstable when it is supported by its base.
Consequently, there is a need for a taco shell which is self supporting and can assume a generally upright position so that the taco filling will generally remain in the taco shell.